1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to, an air jet loom of the type wherein a plurality of auxiliary nozzles are in parallel alignment with the direction of weft picking, an air distributor structure for distributing air into respective groups of auxiliary nozzles one of which group consists of a certain number of auxiliary nozzles.
2. Description of Prior Art
In connection with conventional weft picking devices of air jet looms, it is well known to achieve weft picking by successively blowing up a weft yarn injected from a main nozzle under the influence of air ejected from a plurality of auxiliary nozzles which are aligned at suitable intervals along a weft picking channel. In such devices, the auxiliary nozzles are divided into a plurality of groups, so that air ejection is carried out successively from the auxiliary nozzles of the group at the main nozzle side, in which each group of auxiliary nozzles eject air at the same timing. More specifically, the air ejection in each group of auxiliary nozzles are carried out so that the auxiliary nozzles eject air simultaneously immediately before the leading end of the weft yarn reaches the vicinity of the auxiliary nozzle located nearest the main nozzle in the group until immediately after the air ejection of the suceeding group of the auxiliary nozzles starts after the leading end of the weft yarn passes by the auxiliary nozzle located farthest from the main nozzle in the group.
In the thus arranged conventional devices, several auxiliary nozzles are installed at a relatively short block and accordingly all the auxiliary nozzles are installed at a plurality separate blocks. These blocks are suitably aligned in a groove of a reed holder in which the auxiliary nozzles installed at the same block belong to a single group, or otherwise two groups if necessary. Each group of auxiliary nozzles is arranged to eject, at the same timing, air which is supplied from an air distribution passage.
However, the thus arranged conventional devices have encountered the problems that, in order to optionally select the number of auxiliary nozzles in the same group according to the kinds of woven fabrics, it is necessary to prepare a block equipped with the required number of auxiliary nozzles, which requires too many blocks which are equipped with various numbers of auxiliary nozzles, thereby rendering much higher production cost.
For example, in the case where each block is equipped with eight auxiliary nozzles at the intervals of 50 mm to form a group of auxiliary nozzles, five groups of auxiliary nozzles are formed on the basis of a woven fabric width of 200 cm. However, although the auxiliary nozzles are thus grouped, the necessity may arise to divide all the auxiliary nozzles into four groups in order to weave a certain different kind of fabric. For this purpose, it becomes necessary to form one group with ten auxiliary nozzles. However, in practice, this is impossible because the auxiliary nozzles at each block are arranged to form one group of auxiliary nozzles. In order to enable this, it is necessary to additionally prepare other blocks each equippped with ten auxiliary nozzles.